The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1887-07-23
A RARBOR COMMISSION.
NOI tIl
OPHEUs c. KERR.

EDITOR BULLETIN:-The new Ca
binet Ministers have their time and
strength fully occupied in the man
agement of purely political affairs.
There is very little comfort for out
siders in being disgruntled over
some of the new appointees, and
still less in fishing for government
billet with plenty of pap and little
work. If the new Ministers are as
wise and good, as we believe them
to be, they will very soon be giving
the public something better to talk
about. They will be putting in
motion the policy of public improve
ments, which they are expected to
ipaugurate, to take the place of the
public stealing, which disgraced the
community under the Gibson set
of parasites and leeches. The Leg
islature is soon to be called to-
gether; the Ministerial policy ought
to be well outlined; and suitable
legislation ready for consideration
and enactment. While the Min
listers are busy as they are now,
and must be for some long time
yet, with the investigation of the
abuses in their several bureaus, it
would seem to be advisable for
them soon to call to their aid some
special commissions of citizens and
experts to consider and plan out
some of these long delayed public
improvements.
No public work can be regarded
as Of superior Importance, or of
more pressing need, than the I'M
provement of the harbor. This work
ought to be undertaken, not in any
half-hearted, spasmodic fashion,
but on some well considered plan.
A harbor commission, comprised of
such men as the harbor master, the
pilots, the shipbuilders, the marine
underwriters, the commission firms,
would have little time enough before
the meeting of the Legislature, to
make the needful Investigations, and
draw up some well-matured plan.
The new line of steamships from
British Columbia to New South
Wales will soon be making Homo
lulu port of call. Various
steamship lines from China and
Japan will make this half way
station en- route to California, Pa
mama, or South America. Prepare
ton should be made for the large
increase of traffic and commerce
which Honolulu may reasonably ex-
pect in the near future. The chan
mel should be deepened, widened,
and Strengthened. The careless
filling up of the harbor should be
stopped. From the foot of Punch
bowl street out to the channel
should be constructed a dock basin,
deep enough to float the largest
vessels, and lined with warehouses.
The whole should be built in good
old fashioned English stability, not
in the usual American make-shift
style. The coal yards might be put
on the other side of the harbor, and
steam appliances so utilized that a
few hours time would suffice for
loading or unloading vessels, which
is now the costly work of many
days labor. A new dumping
ground should be started makai of
the kerosene storehouses. Provision
might be made in that direction for
q Marine Terrace, or Seaside Park,
with conveniences for bath houses
and boat houses. Let us have a
Harbor Commission, and some
definite policy of public improve
ment outlined, and the necessary
legislation secured to carry out the
work. 1t will take money and time.
But there is money enough here,
lying idle, which would be gladly
loaned to the Government for legiti-
mate uses. The little island of
Guernsey, with its own resources
alone spent on its harbor of St.
Peters Port $1,500,000. Let us
not all the while growl about mis-
takes and follies; but look forward
with hopeful courage to the splendid
future before our people under a
good government with public-spirit-
ed men at the head.
Pro BoNo PUBLIco.